A condition known as oral herpes simplex manifests itself as ulcerations and ulcers of the type that appear in the mouth or other mucous membranes. Similar conditions such as canker sores, cold sores, fever blisters and the like produce pain in the affected areas, which is believed caused by viral infections. These conditions generally persist for a period of twelve to fourteen days if untreated and produce considerable discomfort for the patient during most of that period. The pain and persistence of the condition can be reduced somewhat with usual anti-microbial agents, but there is no method known to Applicant involving serial application of two compositions of matter as therapy for this condition nor any technique for the treatment of this condition which results in relief of pain generally in a matter for minutes, and where the affected area occurs on the lip, results in virtual elimination of the pain after the first treatment.
Prior art has included treatment utilizing the commercially available campho-phenique which is manufactured by Winthrop Chemical, the application of a lotion inown as Dalidyne available from Dalin Pharmaceuticals, utilized as a treatment for the oral cavity, Polydine, available from Century Pharmaceuticals which may be used in the oral cavity only if not swallowed. Prepodyne swabs, a polozamer iodine solution available from West Chemical and povidone-iodine compositions not used in combination with serial application of another composition as in the subject invention, and available under the well known registered trademark Betadine from the Purdue Frederick Company.
Also, corticosteriods such as triamcinolone acetonide dental paste available from Squibb as Kenalog in Orabase is sometimes used for temporary relief of pain and other symptoms associated with oral inflammation and ulcerative lesions, but because this preparation is a corticosteriod, its use is contraindicated in the presence of fungal, viral or bacterial infections of the mouth or throat, and thus is contraindicated for use with herpes simplex in the prior art.
Synthetic corticosteriods offer a marked anti-inflammatory action, and one of them, Kenalog-40 Injection, also available from Squibb is listed as a treatment for bullous dermatitis herpetiformis, but such preparations modify the body's immune responses to the stimula. Similarly the natural corticosteriod Orabase HCA, available from Hoyte Laboratories is contraindicated for fungal, viral or bacterial infections of the oral mucosa, with the manufacturer pointing out that the defensive responses of the oral tissues are depressed by corticosteriod therapy, possibly resulting in virulent strains of oral microorganisms multiplying without producing the usual warning symptoms of infection. Thus, generally speaking, the use of corticosteriods is contraindicated by the prior art in the treatment of ulcerations called herpes simplex and ulcers of the type that appear in or near the mouth or other mucous membranes as well as such conditions as canker sores, cold sores, fever blisters and the like.